The present invention provides an industrially advantageous process for preparing a 2-alkyl-3-(biphenyl-4-yl)methyl-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine derivative represented by the following formula (II) which is a precursor of an antagonist against an angiotensin II receptor useful as an antihypertensive drug, a biphenyl derivative which is a precursor of the substituent of the pyridine derivative, a process for the preparation thereof, and an intermediate useful for the preparation of the biphenyl derivative: ##STR1## The 2-alkyl-3-(biphenyl-4-yl)methyl-3H-imidazo-[4,5-b]pyridine derivative can be prepared in a high yield according to the present invention from a 2-amino-5-halogeno-3-nitropyridine derivative through amidation, N-alkylation and reductive cyclization. The halogen atom introduced at the 5-position as a protective group against nitration can be eliminated simultaneously in the step which is conducted thereafter. Thus, this process is industrially advantageous. Further, the biphenyl derivative of the present invention is excellent in reactivity and purity of the product, thus being an intermediate suitable for the industrial production.
                            本发明提供了一种工业上有利的制备2-烷基-3-(
联苯基-4-基)甲基-3H-
咪唑并[4,5-b]
吡啶衍生物的方法,该衍
生物如下式(II)所示,是一种抗肾素II受体拮抗剂的前体,可用作降压药物,
联苯衍
生物是
吡啶衍生物的取代基的前体,提供了其制备方法以及用于制备
联苯衍
生物的中间体:##STR1## 根据本发明,可以通过酰胺化、N-烷基化和还原环化,以高产率制备2-烷基-3-(
联苯基-4-基)甲基-3H-
咪唑并[4,5-b]
吡啶衍生物。在随后进行的步骤中,引入的5-位卤代基作为对硝化的保护基可以同时被消除。因此,这一方法在工业上具有优势。此外,本发明的
联苯衍
生物在产物的反应性和纯度方面表现出色,因此是适合工业生产的中间体。